Gareth Southgate's Critical Euro 2024 Oversight Revealed as England's Left-Back Issue Looms Large

Gareth Southgate's Critical Euro 2024 Oversight Revealed as England's Left-Back Issue Looms Large

Luke Shaw's ongoing recovery from injury has placed Gareth Southgate's decision under intense scrutiny, as his reluctance to consider other more conventional choices appears increasingly ill-advised.

When reflecting on Gareth Southgate's managerial approach, terms like 'cautious' and 'risk-averse' often surface among England supporters. His preference for deploying dual holding midfielders and his methodical approach to player selection, often waiting until they establish themselves at club level, underscore this characteristic.

However, recent events have seen Southgate depart from his customary caution. In March, he accelerated the inclusion of 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo into the squad, initially omitting him. In May, stalwarts like Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford were left out of the provisional Euro 2024 squad, with Jack Grealish similarly excluded from the final selection. Additionally, Southgate opted to introduce Adam Wharton, despite his limited top-flight experience spanning less than four months.

Yet, Southgate's boldest move was undoubtedly including the injured Luke Shaw in the Euros squad, a decision compounded by the absence of another natural left-back as backup. Now, with Shaw's recovery ongoing, this choice looms large as potentially the manager's most significant misstep.

  Evident weakness 

England's squad has been notably lacking a left-footed full-back due to Luke Shaw's prolonged absence, presenting a significant challenge for the Three Lions in their tumultuous start to the campaign in Germany. The inadequacy of Kieran Trippier in this unfamiliar role was glaringly evident during warm-up matches against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Iceland. England's attempts to mount rapid attacks down the left flank often faltered as Trippier, typically a right-footed player, hesitated to deliver crosses, disrupting the team's tempo.

Trippier's struggles have been exacerbated in Germany, particularly evident in matches against Serbia and Denmark. Hindered possibly by a lingering calf issue, he showed limited initiative in overlapping runs and received scant passes from teammates when advancing. Consequently, England's offensive efforts primarily funneled through the right and center, reflected in both goals scored from that side of the pitch.

This contrasts sharply with recent tournaments where Shaw's dynamism was pivotal. At Euro 2020, Shaw contributed significantly on the left, assisting Raheem Sterling against Germany in the round of 16 and scoring himself in the final versus Italy, often in partnership with Trippier.

Moreover, Trippier's positional lapses were evident during Denmark's equalizer, where Harry Kane found himself in a left-back position, leading to a wayward pass intercepted by the opposition.

Increasing concerns

Following the Denmark match, Southgate promptly acknowledged Shaw’s absence as a pivotal factor behind England’s lackluster displays in Germany thus far.

"Clearly, the team's balance suffers without our top left-back," he remarked. "Tripps, though, has admirably filled the void with his spirited organization and determination, crucial to our recent successes. It’s not a critique of him, but it’s certainly a shift—right foot instead of left."

Trippier’s adjustment to the left-back role has also impacted Phil Foden, accustomed to cutting inside from the wing at City, where he benefits from overlapping support from players like Nathan Ake or Josko Gvardiol. Thus, England faces a dual dilemma on the left flank: a right-footed defender playing out of position and a left-winger who prefers a central role as a No.10.

The issue is glaring and unlikely to improve ahead of the Slovenia clash. Shaw's return to full training on Monday indicates progress in his fitness, yet it doesn't guarantee his participation in England's final group fixture.

    Always a risk

Shaw's race against time to regain fitness for the tournament started with a hamstring injury during Manchester United's match at Luton on February 18. Since then, he has been absent from club training sessions and has been on an individual program in Germany, rejoining the group only on the eve of the Slovenia clash.

To expect him to reach peak condition for the knockout phase, after such a prolonged absence, is overly optimistic. The competition intensifies, and the opposition becomes significantly tougher. It's a gamble to anticipate any player returning to full fitness after such a lengthy layoff, especially Shaw, whose career has been marred by recurring injuries.

Shaw's injury woes began with a double limb fracture during a United game against PSV in 2015. He later disclosed that a severe tackle from Hector Moreno sidelined him for 11 months and nearly led to the amputation of his right leg.

Since then, Shaw has battled multiple injuries, predominantly muscular, which have restricted him to just 157 Premier League starts out of a possible 304 games.

Terrible performance

Chris Sutton, known for his candid opinions, sharply criticized Southgate for taking a risk on Shaw’s fitness. "Gareth's decision regarding Luke Shaw has been a disaster," the former England striker remarked on the Daily Mail's ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ podcast.

"Here we are, deep into the tournament, and Luke Shaw is still on his personalized training regimen. Is Gareth planning to throw Shaw into the knockout stages, considering his tendency for injuries? How can he expect Shaw to perform at the required level? This is another blunder. England's squad is imbalanced, and a significant part of that is due to Gareth's poor decision-making."

To be fair to Southgate, England's options at left-back are severely limited due to injuries affecting both Shaw and Ben Chilwell, the latter sidelined since April with Chelsea. Reports suggest Chilwell would have been fit for the Euros if chosen. While the Three Lions boast three right-backs in their Euros lineup and potential replacements like Reece James (currently injured) and Ben White (unavailable for selection), the scarcity of left-backs is a glaring issue in English football and globally.

This shortage partly stems from the evolution of football over the past decade. Many top modern left-backs initially played as left wingers, such as Jordi Alba and Alphonso Davies. However, this pathway has been obstructed by the rise of inverted wingers who prefer operating on their weaker foot.

"Ignored"

Southgate, however, overlooked a significant talent in Tyrick Mitchell when finalizing his tournament squad. Mitchell's standout season with Crystal Palace saw him exhibit exceptional durability, featuring in 37 out of 38 Premier League matches.

Under Oliver Glasner's management, Mitchell thrived in a left wing-back role within a 3-4-2-1 formation. He played a pivotal role in Palace's late-season surge, contributing to six wins in their final seven games. Mitchell notably assisted the winning goal against Liverpool and scored in the impressive 4-0 victory over Manchester United.

While some may argue Mitchell's transition to a traditional back four could pose challenges after months as a wing-back, his natural left-footedness and consistent performance on the left wing throughout the season arguably made him a stronger candidate than Trippier or Joe Gomez. Gomez, effective as a stand-in left-back for Liverpool, remains right-footed. Unlike Shaw, Mitchell would have been fully fit and available.

Although Mitchell earned two England caps two years ago, his current experience surpasses that period significantly. He would have found familiarity in the squad, with Southgate having already selected four of his Crystal Palace teammates.

Final option?

The left-back predicament facing England has become so dire that some analysts propose deploying Bukayo Saka in that role. Saka, naturally left-footed, has previous experience as a left-back in England's youth teams and occasionally played there during his initial season with Arsenal. Positioning Saka on the left would facilitate Phil Foden's shift from the left flank to the right, enabling him to replicate the effective partnership he had with Kyle Walker at Manchester City last season.

However, expecting Saka to swiftly adapt to the left-back position after establishing himself as one of the premier right-sided forwards globally would not only disregard his talents but also entail significant risk during this crucial tournament phase.

The mere consideration of Saka as a left-back option underscores England's dire straits and emphasizes the recklessness of relying solely on Shaw's fitness without adequate contingency plans.

Previously hailed for fostering a cohesive England squad, Southgate now finds himself improvising in his fourth major tournament. With little time to devise a solution, the predicament stemming from Shaw's injury-prone history could have been anticipated long ago.